This sectioned display chassis was prepared by apprentices employed at Austin’s Longbridge factory in the late 1940s and was restored at the Museum by a team of volunteers in 2022.

Presenting the chassis or a cutaway of a manufacturer’s new model with its internal workings exposed is a tangible way of showcasing a car’s engineering during its launch to the press and public. This method is still used today by modern manufacturers as a way of engaging journalists as well as potential customers. 

This particular display chassis was created for the promotion of the newly released Austin A40 - a name derived from its power output in brake horsepower. Different models in the A40 range were often named after English counties, like this Devon saloon. 

The chassis may have been on display at the first post-war British Motor Show, at Earls Court in October 1948. It shows a number of interesting features which were found on early A40s, such as a floor gear change (which was replaced by a steering-column gear change in 1951) and unusual Girling hydro-mechanical brakes on the rear wheels. Some of these parts were originally chromed by the apprentices and have now been painted red to highlight these technical features. For a time the Devon was Europe’s best-selling family car and production numbers reached a total of 273,958 by its end in 1952.